Repeater for rolling mills



Oct. 23, 1934. w. u. BOEDEKER El AL 1,977,666

REPEATER FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed May 10. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n/vf/vrms 'wuaamzF/rm v Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REPEATER FOR ROLLING MILLS Application May 10, 1962, Serial No. 610,366

- 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a repeater for rolling mills, and more particularly to a repeater for intermediate and finishing passes of rod mills.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efiicient repeater for rolling mills.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of an arcuate shaped track of channel cross-section for guiding rods between successive reducing passes of rod mills, the track being formed of a plurality of interchangeable portions removably secured to a one-piece base portion and having tapered overhanging surfaces for holding the rod in process in the track until its forward end enters the next pass; A delivery spout of U -shaped cross section directs the rod into the entrance end of the track and is provided with a pivoted inverted U-shape cover carrying a pivoted spring pressed retaining finger for holding the rod to a path communicating with the track until the forward end of the rod enters the next pass and then allows the rod loop between the passes to move free of the track and into a looping pit, as thev rod loop increases in length. An exit spout similar to the delivery spout guides the rod from the exit end of the track into the entrance guide of the next pass and has formed on its cover a grease reservoir which slants downwardly toward the entrance guide of the mill, whereby the grease melted by the heat from the hot rod being processed flows into and lubricates the entrance guide of the mill. A guard positioned at the exit end of the track serves to prevent rods from approach ing the next pass unless their forward ends have properly entered the entrance guide thereof and also prevents the rods from whipping over the rolls of the mill after they leave the preceding pass.

will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig.1 is a top plan view of a rolling mill repeater embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one of the delivery spouts, the view being taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational. view, partly in section, of one of the exit spouts, the view being taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the repeater;

Other objects and advantages of the invention Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the delivery spouts, the view being taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one of the exit spouts, the view being taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of the tracks taken along lines 8-8 and 9-9, respectively of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts 55 throughout the various views, reference numerals 10 and 11 designate successive sets of reducing rolls having cooperating peripheral grooves forming successive passes of a rolling mill for reducing rods. The invention lies in a repeater for receiving rods from the reducing rolls 10 and directing the rods to the reducing rolls 11. In one embodiment the repeater consists of deliveryspouts indicated generally at 12 and 13, tracks 14 and 15, a guard or safety monument indicated generally at 16, which extends over the tracks adjacent the exit ends thereof, and exit spouts indicated generally at 17 and 18.

The delivery spouts 12 and 13. are identical in construction and, therefore, a description of 0 one will apply equally well to them both. In Fig.

3 a side elevational view of the delivery spout 13 is shown having a lower portion 20 U-shaped in cross-section and having one end secured to a bracket 21 which isfixedly mounted upon a delivery pipe 22, while the other end is removably 'secured, by means of an adjustable clamp 23,

to a projection 24 at the entrance ends ofthe tracks 14 and 15. The bottom wall of the lower portions 20 has an opening, 25 therein adjacent the receiving end of the delivery spout for allowing foreign particles, such as scaling from the rod being processed, to drop therethrough. The delivery pipe 22 is fixedly carried by a bracket 27 and extends to a position between the rolls 10 to 9 receive the rod passing therebetween.

A cover 30 is U-shaped in cross-section and extends over the lower portion 20 of the delivery spout 13. The cover 30 is pivotally mounted at one end at 31 upon the bracket 21 and pivotally carries at its other end a retaining finger 32 provided with an arcuate-shaped rod engaging end 33 normally urged toward the track 15 by a spring 34. The weight of the cover 30 is sufficient to hold the rod to a path communicating with the entrance end of the track'15 until the forward end thereof enters the next pass but is not sufficient to thereafter prevent the rod loop between the passes from moving free of the track and into the looping pit (not shown), as the rod loop in creases in length due to the reduction in the crosssection thereof. To vary the retaining power or the effective weight of the cover 30, a spring 35 is employed, which has one end fixed to a projection 36 of the cover 30, while the other end is fixed to an adjusting screw 37 extending through the tracks 14 and 15 are formed of arcuate shaped removable and interchangeable members, some of which,- indicated at 40, have overhanging retaining lips 41 to hold the rod, being advanced from one pass to the other, within the desired track until the forward end of the rod passes between the rolls 11. In order that rods, being advanced through either track 14 or 15, may move free of the tracks when the forward ends of the rods have entered between the rolls 11, the upper track members indicated at 42 and 43 adjacent the receiving end of the tracks do not. have the overhanging lip portions for retaining rods in the tracks. In the present instance, the next set of upper track members indicated at 44 and 45 have their inner edges from approximately the center thereof to the right ends thereof provided with overhanging tongue portions which gradually merge into flat or tongueless portions adjacent the center thereof. The upper track members 43 and 45, as well as an upper track member 46, project outwardly to form an apron or platform over the track 14 so that a rod may escape from the track 15 without interfering with a rod passing through the track 14.

The guard or safety monument 16 has a horizontally extending portion' 4'! which extends over the tracks 14 and 15 and provides a guarded passageway 48 for the rods. A head portion 50 is integral with the portion 4'7 and has upper walls which extend downwardly from the center thereof, as indicated at 51 and 52. The head portion 50 has projecting fingers 53 and 54 which extend over rod receiving recesses 55 and 56, respectively. At each side of the head portion 50 are upwardly projecting retaining arms 57 and 58 having inwardly and downwardly extending surfaces 59 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The exit spouts 17 and 18 are identical in construction and, therefore, a description of one will apply equally well to them both. In Fig. 4, the exit spout 18 is shown in elevation in association with the track 14 and the rolls 11. The exit spout 18 consists of a lower portion 65 which is U-shaped in cross-section and has one end removably secured to a projection 66 of the lower portion 39 of the tracks 14 and 15 by means of a clamp 67, while the other end extends into and is supported by a rod guide 68. The lower wall of the portion has an opening 69 for allowing material scaling from the rod to drop therethrougli so that this material will not be forced into and obstruct the free passage of the rod through the guide 68. The rod guide 68 is supported by a suitable holder or bracket '70 and terminates at a position between the rolls 11 to accurately guide a rod between the rolls.

- 1 A cover '73 is provided for the lower portion 65 of the exit spout, this cover being H-shaped in cross-section, the horizontal connecting portion '74 of which rests upon the vertical walls of the lower portion 65 to completely surround rods passing through the exit spout. The downward- 1y projecting walls of the cover '73 have tapered forward ends extending beneath tapered surfaces 76 of lugs formed upon the vertical walls of the portion 65. The upwardly extending walls of the cover 18 together with the connecting portion 74, form a grease containing compartment indicated generally at 7'7 for grease 78 used for a purpose hereinafter described.

During the operation of the repeater, let it be assumed that a rod 26 is fed between the rolls 10 and directed through the delivery pipe 22 and into the delivery spout 12. The rod in passing through the spout 12 will be directed into the track 14 and held in the track by theretaining finger 32, which rests upon the rod during the advancement thereof. The rod will then pass through the track 14, while being held therein by the overhanging tongue portions 41 of the upper track members 40, through the guarded passageway 48 and enter the exit spout 18. Even though the cover '13 of the exit spout 18 merely rests upon the lower portion 65, its weight is sufficient to hold the rod in the exit spout and direct it through the rod guide 68 and between the rolls 11. It is to be understood that the rod 26 is heated to a desired temperature prior to the rolling operations and heat from the rod while passing through the exit spout 18 will heat the walls thereof and slowly liquefy the grease 78, which will drip into the portion 65 of the exit spout 18 adjacent the rod guide 68, thus lubricating the exit end of the spout 18 and the rod guide 68.

, As soon as the forward end of the rod 26 enters the rolls 11, the rod between the sets of rolls 10 and 11, which, up to this time is positioned in the delivery spout 12, the track 14, and the exit spout 18, begins to increase in length. This increase in length of the rod 26 would cause it to buckle in the delivery .spout 12, moving the cover 30 upwardly about its pivot 31, moving with it the retaining finger 32 and allowing the rod to move free of the track 14 at the entrance end thereof. As described above, the upper track member 42 and a part of the upper track member 44 do not have the retaining lip portions 41 making it possible for the rod to move free of the track at this position, and as soon as the rod starts to move free of the track, the tapered retaining tongue of the upper track member 44 will make it possible for the rod to move free of the remaining portion of the track. The loop of the rod between the rolls 10 and 11 will then extend down the looping pit (not shown).

One of the functions of the safety monument 16 is to prevent the tail end of the rod from whipping over the rolls 11 after it has passed from between the rolls 10. Another function of the safety monument 16 is to provide auxiliary guides for rods which fail to enter the rolls 11 after passing between the rolls 10. If a rod should fail to enter the rolls 11, the rod is given a zig-zagging movement down the looping pit by the operator until the tail end thereof passes from between the rolls 10, after which the operator'grips this end of the rod with a suitabletoo'l, directs it through either of the exit spouts 1'! and 18 as, for example, the exit spout 18, until the end of the rod is gripped by the rolls 11 and advanced therebetween. In feeding the end of the rod through the exit spout 18 and between the rolls 11, the portion of the rod'positioned over the safety monument is positioned upon the surface 52 of the head 50 or the tapered surface 59 of the arm 58 where the rod will be directed downwardly and beneath the projection 54 and into composed of various materials.

the retaining recess 56. During the movement of the rod while in this position, the safety monument not only prevents the rod from whipping over the rolls 11 but also tends to straighten the rod before it passes through the exit spout 18 and between the rolls. It is to be understood that the exit spout 17 may be used for the same purpose, in which case the rod will be placed either upon the tapered surface 51 of the head portion 50, or the tapered surface 59 of the arm 57, where it will be directed downwardly beneath the projection 53 and into the recess 55.

During the movement of the rod through the delivery spout 12, the track 14, and the exit spout 18, another rod may be advanced through the delivery spout 13, the track 15 and the exit spout 17. It is not probable that these rods will be started in their travel through the repeater simultaneously, but it is probable that one rod will be fed between rolls 10, before the preceding rod has passed completely from between the rolls 10. When this occurs, the apron formed by the projections of the upper track members 43, 45 and 46 of track 15, and which extends over the track 14, permits the rod to move free of the track 15 without interfering with the rod in the track 14. Furthermore, the safety monument 16 provides a safety means for both tracks and provides means whereby successive rods may be directed through the exit spouts 17 and 18 by the operator, these rods being straightened while passing through the recesses 55 and 56. The cause of a rod failing to enter between the rolls 11 may be from an enlarged forward end which may result from a knot in the rod.

This repeater may be employed for various passes of the rolling mill and for processing rods When the repeater is used for some passes, the weight of the cover 30 of each of the delivery spouts 12 and 13 is suflicient to hold the rods therein until the forward ends have entered the next pass, but when using the repeater for later or finishing passes, it is necessary to vary the downward force of the covers 30 which is brought about by varying the tension of the springs 35 through the adjustment of the screws 37.

An important feature of this repeater is the formation of the lower portions of the tracks with one piece of material, such as the casting, and the forming of the upper portions of the tracks by a plurality of arcuate shaped elements equal in length and arranged to be interchangeably secured to the lower portion so that these portions, when they become worn, may be removed, and other like portions substituted therefor; and so that the upper portions may be interchanged depending upon the characteristics of the rods being advanced through the tracks. As shown in Fig. 1, the retaining lips 41 start at approximately the centers of the upper track members 44 and 45 and continue to the exit ends of the tracks 14 and 15. This arrangement is desired for a certain type of rod, such as one form of copper, but a different arrangement may be desired for a rod formed of other material. Furthermore, the shape of the retaining lip 41 may be varied, depending upon the cross-sectional contour of the rod.

While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a repeater for rolling mills, a substantially U-shaped track, and delivery spout for delivering the forward end of a rod from one set of reducing rolls of a rolling mill to said track, said delivery spout comprising a stationary portion, and a movable portion cooperating with said station- 89 ary portion for directing a rod into said track and movable by the rod when caused to buckle by the forward end entering another set of reducing rolls, whereby the rod may readily escape from said track.

2. In arepeater for rolling mills, a. substantially U-shaped track for receiving a rod from one pass of a rolling mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, a delivery spout for delivering the rod from a preceding pass to said track, 90 said spout including a yieldably mounted cover, and means yieldably carried by said delivery spout cover for holding the rod in the track.

3. In a repeater for rolling mills, a substantially U-shaped track for receiving a rod from one 5 pass of a rolling mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, and a delivery spout for receiving the rod from the first of the two passes and directing the rod into said track, said delivery spout comprising a stationary member, a movable member arranged to hold the rod in said stationary member until the forward end of the rod enters the subsequent pass and movable by the rod due to buckling caused by an increase in length of theportion of the rod between the passes, whereby the rod may escape from said track.

4. In a repeater for rolling mills, a track for receiving a rod from one pass of a rolling mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, and a delivery spout for receiving the rod from the first of the two passes and directing the rod into said track, said delivery spout comprising a stationary member, a'movable member for retaining the rod in said stationary member until the forward end of the rod enters the subsequent pass and movable by the rod due to buckling caused by an increase in length of the portion of the rod between passes, whereby the rod may escape from said track, and means for varying the retaining force of said movable member.

5. In a repeater for rolling mills, a track for receiving a rod from one pass of a rolling mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, a delivery spout for delivering the rod from the first of the two passes to said track, said delivery spout comprising a stationary member secured to said track, a movable member normally held by gravity in engagement with said stationary member and cooperating with said stationary member for directing the rod into said track, and means for varying the force of the movable member toward said stationary member.

6. In a repeater for ,rolling mills, a guide track 1135 for receiving a rod from one pass of a rolling-mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, and a safety guard extending over said track for holding the rod within a predetermined path during the advancement thereof, said guard having a recess for receiving a rod not delivered by said track but directed to said subsequent pass for holding said rod in a predetermined path, a downwardly inclined upper surface on said guard, and an arm carried by said guard having a free end thereof spaced from said inclined surface intermediate its length, said surface and arm cooperating to guide the rod into the recess.

7. In a repeater for rolling mills, a substantially U-shaped track for receiving a rod from one pass of the rolling mill and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, and a safety guard extending over said track adjacent the exit end thereof for holding the rod within a predetermined path during the advancement thereof, said guard having means for removing kinks from a rod directed to said subsequent pass.

8. In a repeater for rolling mills; a track for receiving a hot rod from one pass of a rolling mill and directing the hot rod to a subsequent pass thereof, an exit spout positioned between said track and the subsequent pass for receiving the hot rod'from said track and directing it to said subsequent pass, and means for containing a lubricant so designed and positioned relative to said exit spout that the lubricant may be liquefied by the heat of the rod and drip onto said exit spoutfor lubricating the same.

9. In a repeater for rolling mills, a track for receiving a rod from one pass of a rolling mill and directing the rod toward a subsequent pass thereof, an exit spout for receiving the rod from said track, a guide for receiving the rod from said exit spout and directing the rod to said subsequent pass, and means carried by said exit spo'ut f0". containing a lubricating material for lubricating the exit end of said exit spo'ut and said guide.

by said exit spout for containing a lubricant to be liquefied by the heat from the hot rod passing through said exit spout for lubricating a portion of said exit spout and said guide.

11. In a repeater for rolling mills, a track for I receiving the rod from one pass of a rolling mill 4 and directing the rod to a subsequent pass thereof, a delivery spout for delivering the rod from a. preceding pass to said track, said spout including a yieldably mounted cover, means yieldably carried by said delivery spout cover positionedto engage the rod while entering said track for holding the rod in said track until the forward end. thereof enters the subsequent pass and thereafter movable to allow the rod to escape from said track, and means for varying the force of said holding means in engagement with the rod.v

WALTER U. BOEDEKER. WALTER G. SEDDLITZ. 

